Like Blood, Like Honey
by Ulquiarra
Summary: What I think was going through Gin's head during Chapter 412. Warnings- spoilers up to the latest chapter and extreme case of denial-like wishful thinking.


"I made it in time, Aizen. Gin," Rangiku stated defiantly, glaring at us. For once, I was damn happy that Aizen insisted I walk behind him, because it would give me away if he saw that smile had faded. How could she have been so stupid? I knew it would take a helluva lot more than Allon to kill her, I had just counted on him incapacitating her. Now, I'm gonna have to...

I forced myself to finish the thought. Hurt her, Hurt Rangiku. "Rangiku," I acknowledged, pain crinkling my features as I fully took in her condition. The strange oddball that had come along suddenly shouted some really mysoginistic comments and I felt like snorting. The idiot. Couldn't he tell that Rangiku was so much more powerful and amazing than he could ever hope to be? Thankfully, she dismissed him quickly, her pained steel blue not wavering from my face.

"I'll stop these two," she vowed, as if we couldn't see how low her head was drooping. "You have to run immediately." This made it so much harder. That she looked this bad, I mean. All it did was bring memories of when I first met her, when she looked on the brink of the death then. I miss those days. When she didn't have people whispering in her ear, telling her how horrible I was. When it was just _us_, scavenging for our favorite treat, dried persimmons, playing pirates in the trees and rivers, no secrets, no lies, where the scariest things were what jumped out from the darkness and thunder. I miss _her._

I'm brought back to reality by her sudden shout as she practically strangles the idiot Ghostbuster, hitting him where he was most vulnerable; his looks. She should know. She pretends that's her weak point, too. Grabbing the kids, he runs off, practically squealing. Catching himself at the last moment, he tries to help once more, and she leaves a can imprint on his face. I smile. That'll show him not to mess with my girl. Aizen starts one of his annoying speeches that center around his godliness and everybody else's status as scum. God, he doesn't ever shut up...

I tune him out, focusing instead on her reactions. She glares defiantly at him, a mixture between astonishing bravery and phenomenal stupidity. She's drenched in sweat just from standing, and she thinks she can take us on? She just barely recovered from a giant animal ripping her practically in half, and she's trying to stop a powerful madman hellbent on conquering the world? Sometimes, I just want to slap some sense into her. Then again, physical violence doesn't seem to make a lasting impression. A strongly worded letter, maybe?

Aizen taunts her, and I see exhaustion race through her beautiful eyes, so I interfere.

"Captain Aizen." He looks at me with his hollowified eyes and I continue. "Sorry for my old friend butting in like this. I'll take her over there." He gives his assent, and although a simple, 'Okay', would have sufficed, it takes more like thirty seconds. Quickly turning on my groveling act, I smirk and say, "It would be a nuisance, though, won't it?" Playing the benevolent ruler, he smirks back and says, "Not a bit." Huh. Bastard. He just wants to watch me kill her.

I Shunpo forward, quickly wrapping one of my arms around her waist and carrying her with me, ignoring her little undignified squeak of surprise. Making up for her humiliating slip, she struggles, demanding me to let her go. I don't listen. She knows I won't. Knowing that Aizen's watching, I toss her down without any gentleness, making it so she lands on her feet though. Even from here, I can see the tremors wracking her body and I want to hug it better. I can't. These damn annoying robes, flapping in the wind, remind me of that.

"You're all shaky," I point out, before asking the question that's been bugging me all along. "What'd you come here for?" After a second of composing herself, she answers. "...Once you're reiatsu disappeared, I went ahead and opened the Senkai Gate... I figured if it was the teleported position of Karakura Town you were after, I'd have a better guess." My smile widens. She avoided the question.

"I didn't ask how you got here," I admonish gently. "I asked why you came here with a shaky body." Honestly. When it looked like there was an earthquake underneath you, that should be your first indicator not to chase after your most deadly enemy. She's gonna get really hurt, and I'm gonna have to make _me_ do it in order to keep up the illusion that I serve under Aizen.

She gives me a soul searching look, and I widen my grin, knowing it looks more fake than ever. "Isn't it obvious?" she murmurs. "Because you're here." I want to sigh, and my eyebrows furrow more underneath my untrimmed silver hair. Oh, Ran... I love you, but you'll be the death of me yet. "I'll finally ask you straight out."

"...Why... are you working under Aizen?"

My smile is gone. She looks so... defeated. She's past fragile. She's. Completely. _Shattered_. "Why did you betray Kira, despite him believing in you so much?" I slump a bit. She's pretending this is for Kira? "Are you seriously asking me that?" I blurt. "'I believed in him, yet he betrayed me,' Did Izuru really say that?" Her eyes widen at my tone, but I know what I have to do. I have to break her already broken pieces more in order to make up for letting Aizen break her as a child. But I swear to whatever God there really is...

_I will fix her._

If it kills everyone in the whole damned Soul Society, I will put her back together again. May Aizen kill me if I fail.

I sigh, still slumped over, hiding the tears in my closed eyes. "Why are you here, seriously?" She touches the little golden trinket I had stolen for her, years ago. She's finally grown in to it, I notice in the back of my mind. Doesn't touch her bellybutton anymore. I paste on a fake smirk, lowering my mouth to her ear, ignoring the way my heart was beating,_ Rangiku Rangiku Rangiku Rangiku RangikuRangikuRangiku_. "C'mon, Rangiku." I pull back, forcing myself to look in her face, and let her see my massive sneer, as I whisper, "_You're in the way_." Her eyes widen as I lift Shinso.

And stab her right in the ring of the necklace I gave her.


End file.
